Annan urges sides to overcome differences

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan has urged the various sides in Somalia not to let their differences prevent the attainment of a peace settlement. In a report to the Security Council on Monday, he noted that the regional peace effort for Somalia was currently at an impasse because of differences on how to proceed with national reconciliation. "Such differences will only complicate the already difficult task of peacemaking," Annan said in his report. He said the contending Somali groups and leaders were at risk of adopting "inflexible positions on national reconciliation so as to safeguard their interests and weaken the influence of those Somalis who want an end to violence and the restoration of peace in the country". He noted that a national reconciliation conference, due be held in the Kenyan capital Nairobi in April, had not yet gone ahead. "The environment of apparent suspicion, both among regional countries and inside Somalia, needs to be defused urgently if a productive conference is to take place," he stressed. He also called for "consensus and coherence" among the three frontline states of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) which is trying to broker a peace settlement. The three countries - Djibouti, Ethiopia and Kenya - have been trying to lay the groundwork for the conference, but disagreements between them have so far prevented this. "It is also clear that the IGAD frontline states and other neighbouring countries, as well as donors, must use their influence to encourage the Somali parties to take positive and reconciliatory steps towards establishing peace and security in their country," Annan added. Given the worsening situation in the country, he urged Somali leaders to refrain from military action. "It is the duty of leaders to lead, not to pursue narrow partisan advantage," Annan said.